A Basketball Dynasty in the Making
The Earl Monroe School Lady Knights went cold in the second quarter without making a field goal and Summit Academy Charter High School took advantage of the Lady Knights misfiring to run off 10 unanswered points and never looked back to capture its third championship of the NYC Girls Charter School Varsity Division 1A Basketball title in winning 26-11.
In the span of the 2022-23 school year, Earl Monroe High has played in two championship games. The Lady Knights’ late rally came up short in losing to Promise Academy II 32-25, in the fall season Charter School JV Girls championship game and tonight fell to Summit Academy Varsity of the winter season.
Earl Monroe came into the championship game without a key part of the starting lineup. Starting two guard Angelina Delacruz is out with an injured right knee after sustaining an ACL injury during the semifinal playoff game at home against CompSci.
After Kalia Ramos (3pts) gave the Lady Knights an early 3-0 lead on a three-pointer in the opening quarter, the experienced seniors of Summit Academy suffocated Earl Monroe’s leading scorer and ball handler Janaiya Edwards at the top of the key, forcing the ball out her hands. The defensive scheme worked in the second as the Lady Knights shot for 0 of 7 and had four turnovers.
"We were not hitting shots and the pace of playing [at Summit Academy’s varsity team level] threw the girls off their game. This was an experience to learn from and build from," Lady Knights’ head coach Jeremy Logan spoke after the game on the off-shooting day.
Shooting woes continued for the Lady Knights in the third. N'dera Francis (6pts) increased the lead for Summit Academy to 15-3, hitting two of three free throws after getting fouled beyond the arc and on her next trip made a three. Ayanna Sanders (2pts) finally got Earl Monroe out of the cold spell hitting a jumper after missing its first six shots to start the quarter to bring the score to 16-5 with 155 left in the third. Edwards, a freshman (4pts) finally got some space to break down the double team to get her first points of the game with a floater down the paint to end the third down 18-7.
The fourth was all Summit Academy securing the lead and turning up the defense on Earl Monroe and preventing any comeback.
Losing in a championship game at any level of basketball is a tough pill to swallow. From putting together a team of experienced and new ballers, building up basic basketball skills, learning how to manage the competitive high school atmosphere, to making back-to-back championship game appearances is an incredible achievement. The school extends gratitude and respect to the Lady Knights’ coaching staff of head coach and former NYC high school basketball standout Jeremy Logan and assistant coach Treyshan Bradley.
Logan commented on the season after the game: "We have to continue setting a strong foundation for the girls and build on this year. The experience of reaching two championship games was a big step for the program. Next it's about using this foundation to get better"
